FNA Cytology in the Diagnosis of Lymphoma

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) became important for the cytology of the enlarged lymph node in the 1950s and 1960s and was accepted in the diagnosis of various types of lymphadenitis and metastatic disease. The diagnosis of lymphoma by FNA cytology, however, remained controversial for many years, as FNA smears did not allow the evaluation of growth pattern. Only later with the introduction of immunocytochemistry on FNA material it became possible to conclusively diagnose the majority of lymphomas